“I’ll hold you to it. We’ll talk again. Good night.”
“Good night.”
The line clicks dead. I stop pacing and lower the phone, realizing I’ve been gripping it tight enough to crack the screen. I flex my hand, opening and closing my fist. The call went better than I expected.
I fill in Neo, needing to brain-dump unfiltered before I talk to Luna.
An hour later, I’m horizontal in bed, lights out for our ten o’clock call. Tonight, I tap the video icon, needing to both hear and see her.
“Luna,” I murmur when she appears, nestled against her pillows, looking soft, relaxed, and so damn perfect.
“You survived,” she teases, though her eyes search mine for the real story. “How was it?”
“Your dad was more than fair.” I recount the conversation, feeling the nervous energy spike again. “What did he think?”
“He doesn’t like the situation, obviously, but he believes your feelings for me are genuine. That’s big with my dad.”
I blow out a relieved breath, knowing what that means to her. “I’ll talk to my family tomorrow.” We’d agreed to stay private publicly, but not from the people who love us.
“Are you sure you want to tell them now?”
“In case you missed that part, you mean everything to me, Luna.”
Her eyes soften, unguarded in the glow of my screen. “Aw, boo. I want to be with you so bad. In the crook of your arm, all cuddled up in your warmth. You have no idea how much I miss that. Having to pretend, not being able to do couple-things… that’s the hardest part. I’m not complaining. Just… saying.”
“It’s the same for me, Luna.” Then I say the thing that’s been sitting on my chest since the lake house. “I’ve been thinking about quitting.”
The softness in her face doesn’t just fade; it vanishes. The screen jostles as she bolts upright in bed, staring at me through the camera with wide-eyed disbelief. “You don’t mean that.”
“I’m the one drafting strategies to keep you out of the office you’re more than capable of holding, then I’m the same man calling you at night wanting to be your shelter from it all.” I drag a hand over my beard. “I know quitting wouldn’t suddenly allow us to go public. We’d probably still have to wait until after the election to avoid becoming a distraction to your campaign. But at least I wouldn’t be fighting what you stand for.”
“No.” She shakes her head firmly. “You’re not quitting. Not for me. I don’t need you sacrificing your comeback, DK. You’re proving to yourself that you can do it differently this time. Healthier. Better.” Her expression turns tender and a little overwhelmed. “But knowing you’d walk away for me? Whew.” She presses a palm to her chest. “You’d actually give up a shot at winning this.”
“When it comes to the job, there’s no contest, Luna,” I tell her honestly. “You are the win.”
“Boy, you’re about to make me cry.” Tears shine in her eyes. “That tells me exactly where I stand in your world. That’s all I need. So no quitting, okay?”
A smile spreads across my face, equal parts affection and admiration. “I should’ve known you wouldn’t let me off that easily.”
“Damn right.” Her grin turns watery. “I plan to beat the best strategist in the business, so you better keep bringing it.” Then she adds, softer and quieter. “We know what we have, DK. Trust. That’s why we can handle this.”
There are still three months left in the campaign, and as long as I’m on the job, I have a duty to Diablo that I take seriously. I can’t give him less than my best.
But my personal loyalty belongs to Luna.
With the matter settled for her, she slides back onto her side, curling up the way she does. “Now,” she says, her eyes smiling, “tell me about this plan to meet.”
I let thoughts of quitting fall away for now and turn onto my side, propping the phone against my pillow. “You said you’re going to be at Town Hall on Thursday, right? Meeting with the city council?”
“Yes. To discuss my replacement.”
“I’ll be there for a zoning meeting with the municipal engineer.”
Luna rolls her eyes, but I’m not about to debate politics while her face is half-buried in pink pillows. “Meet me in the old municipal wing. Nobody uses that part of the building anymore since the storage records were moved. It’ll be private… and safe.”
“Oooh, Dakarai Ramos. You looking to get freaky in Town Hall—christening my future home?”
“What better way to mark your territory?”
